Compositions and method of treating textile materials



United States Patent COMPOSITIONS AND METHOD OF TREATING TEXTILE MATERIALS Bernard H. Kress, Ambler, Pa., assignor to Quaker Chemical Products Corporation, Conshohocken, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania No Drawing. Application January 24, 1955, Serial No. 483,836

when n=2 or more with the spirane ring alternating with the (CH2)nchain to form a linear polymer. The spirane ring is a rigid structure and such a linear polymer hasample possibility for hydrogen-bonding. Therefore the polymer itself may be high melting and relatively insoluble in Water and in solvents of low polarity, such as hydrocarbons, simple esters, simple ketones, chlorinated solvents and other products normally used in drycleaning.

Although many dialdehydes will yield such condensa- 32 Claims. (Cl. 117-1394) tion products, the compounds used practically in textile This invention relates to compositions of matter which P f hmlted to 9 which f l l of impart crease-proofing or crease recovery and/or di- 2 apphedm aqueous 9 or emulslon' ,sumlafly mensional stability to textile materials. In particular SImPIePIeCWSMS and derivatives eapabie of generatmg this invention is of special applicability for the treatdlaldehydes y employed .Sultable Precursors ment of regenerated cellulose such as viscose or cu- Include qxygen'wmalmng hetmcyclw compounds from prammonium products which dlaldehydes may be obtained, such as various The compositions utilized in my invention include i l furanes dlhydm pyranes. Smtable. f dialdehydes and a pentaerythritol, including pentaenh rivatives include hemiacetals, acetals, bisulfite addition thritol itself, dipentaerythritol, tripentaerythritol, and prgduets f fa l the M h d higher pentaerythxitols, and also simple derivatives theren most cases t e slmp e envatwes 0 e y of. Under appropriate conditions of heat and catalysis, Such as the tetramethyiacetahare Insoluble than polymers are produced from these components which I g aldehyges i z theyl g believe to be polyacetals. When formed within thefiber ey may e app mm Slon. (a ong t e these condensation products impart a considerable dereactants) dunng processmg.wlu hydrolyze to yleld gree of crease-recovery to the fabric as well as dimenthe 3 readlly waterisoluble dlaldehyde' sional stability. Furthermore this effect remains through Aside i the Practlial aspect 9 the aqueous repeated launderings solutions in normal textile processmg there is the addi- A considerable advantage of my invention lies in the tional requirement of penetration of the chemical into fact that fabric treated with my composition does not the fiber In .aqueeus baths. cellulwqfiters known retain chlorine after immersion in a chlorine bleach. to Show cmlslderable. swenmg 1s beheved to Thus hydrochloric acid is not released upon ironing. lt Increase pore Slze' aque' In i case of urea formaldehyde melamine formalde ous apphcation facihtates entrance of reactants into the hyde and dimethylol ethylene-urea types of crease-prooffi In P a Polymer 15 formed ing treatment chlorine is retained. When hydrochloric lg gigf igg i use to the phenomenon known as ig g g gg i g l g gfsfig or Ironing conslderable Dialdehydes with longer carbon chains than adipalde- The polymer formed in the fabric upon proper cure is llyde m the P? above) f dlflieulfly E assumed to be a polyacetal. Read (J. Chem. Soc. 101 m t or of Snell hlmted sohiblhty as to be of i pp 20904 (1912)) and Kropa and Thomas 40 value in the application described. Of course, slde 2,643,236) had shown that under appropriate conditions g sueht as i on methyleme carbons may glyoxal and pentaerythritol would condense to form a uee grea er so 1 y m W water insoluble and infusible polymer. Orth (Kunst- Fljom the foregoing descnptlon It Should be e that stolie, 41, pp. 454-7 (1951)) described a polyacetal 'sueemaldehyde glularaldehyde hYdmXYadIPaIdt' prepared by condensation of terephthalaldehyde and a hyde are F F m F watFr'mluble Simple pentaerythritol derivative to form compositions aldehydes of similar chain length with substituents on the useful in molding compounds carbon atoms are also of value. Such substituents may I have found that glyoxal and pentaerythritol condense Include to form polyacetals that are water insoluble only under conditions so rigorously acidic as to preclude use in g textile processing. I have found that succmaldehyde, OR R glutaraldehyde and other dialdehydes which are water soluble condense fairly readily under mildly acidic catand the llke, when R 15 an alkyl l'adlcal posstfssmg not alysis to yield durable crease-proofing in fabrics treated l than Seven carbon atoms- Naturally, mlXtllreS of with them. On the other hand, fabrics treated with d1P 11dehYdeS also usefulglyoxal-pentaerythritol combinations, wash out readily Pentaerythrltol hasbeen ment oned as the prime reand lose any crease recovery effect. Attempts have also actant. However, dipentaerythntol, tripentaerythritol, been made to obtain crease recovery by use of malonaldeand higher ethers may enter into these reactions. In hyde or derivatives thereof with pentaerythritol or its these cases, the condensation products are not hnear but derivatives in fabric treatment. However, no enchance- (30 may be three dimensional or space polymers. Since ment of crease recovery in fabric occurred in any of these thepentaerythritol ethers (polypentaerythritols) have applications wherein malonaldehyde was employed. limited water solubility, several simple derivatives of Generally, the reaction is believed to follow the course these compounds are of value in order to increase watergiven below: solubility. In some circumstances such derivatives even H0-CH: CHr-OH catalyst OHC--(CHz),-GHO 0 BIO-C CHr-OH O-QH: CHr-O O-CH: CHr-e HO-(OHflr-C C\ /CH--(OHg)nC /C\ OOg CHI-O 0-CHJ CH;-

of pentaerythrltol are of considerable value in order to increase solubility, or even stabilize mixtures of these with dialdehydes. Simple formic esters of pentaerythritol, dipentaerythritol and higher ethers show greater procedure listed in the Technical Manual of the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists, 1953, page 165, Tentative Test Method 66-53.

Example II water-solubility than the polyol and are stable enough 5 in aqueous solutions to be of value in application to fab- Cotton sheeting (80 square) was padded as in Example ric. Even greater stability is shown by monoor poly- I with an aqueous solution containing by weight: formals or acetals of pentaerythritol and dipentaerythri- Percent tol. Likewise, the isopropylidene ketals of pentaerythri- Clutaraldehyde 3.0 tol may be employed. These are prepared by heating the Dipentaerythntol diformal 4.5 pentaerythritol wrth either formaldehyde or acetaldehyde oxalic acid 0 5 or their polymers or with acetone in presence of acidic I f f catalyst U h d l i these compounds i ld The fabr1c was dried on a frame with tension at 160 F. pentaerythritol or a polypentaerythritol capable of ref c d in a convection oven at 300 F. for minutes. acting with the dialdehydes. In addition, when proper The w p fill angles f d l h conditions of heat and catalyst are applied, an aldehyde Sheeting 111 p 50.113101! and p g Was interchange in k place d h appropriate treated cotton sheeting showed a reading off-175. The densation polymer will form as follows: Cotton had a full 351116111 In the case of the formic (or other esters) the free acid is formed and may escape by volatilization.

Other catalysts have also been useful in acetal preparation and are applicable in my invention. These include metal halides such as AlCls, ZnClz, FeCls, dehydrating agents such as P205, and acid salts such as NH iCl. Other similar materials will effect the condensation.

The following example indicates the lack of persistence of the glyoxal-pentaerythritol composition.

Rayon gabardine was treated as described in Example I. The wash test used was the A. A. T. C. C. 1953 Standard Test Method 14-52. at 212 F. The chlorine retention test was the A. A. T. C. C. Tentative Test 69-52.

Example III Crease resistance, 7 Percent Monsanto 1 Chlo- Percent Dialdehyde Pentae- Percent ring.

rythrltol Catalyst Reten- Hand- 1 W. 2 W. tion wash Clyoxal 2.0 4. 5 Oxalic, 1.5... 2-16 186 nil. Malonaldehyde, 2.3-.- 4. 5 .do. 191 181 nil. Sucelnaldehyde, 2.6.-. 4. 5 260 250 242 nil.

' Glutaraldehyde 3.0 4. 5 252 240 238 nil. Hydroxyadtpaldehyde, 4.0- 4. 228 224 1111. Methyl glutaraldehyde, 3.5 4. 233 230 nil. H O Treatment 191 180 nil.

1 Sum of warp and fill recovery angles.

Example 1 The following aqueous solution was prepared, the amounts given by weight. 7

Percent 2-hydroxya-dipaldehyde 4.5 Commercial pcntaerythritol 4.5 Oxalic acid 1.0

Rayon gabardine was padded with the above solution using two nips. The wet pick-up was The fabric was placed on a frame with slight tension and dried at F. The dried fabric was cured in a circulating hot air oven at 315 F. for 5 minutes. After cure, the fabric was hand washed and tested. The sum of warp and fill angles was 250. Untreated gabardine showed a sum of 195. Crease recovery was determined by the The dialdehyde glyoxal yielded no retention of crease resistance even in conjunction with dipentaerythritol and tripentaerythritol. This is shown by the following example wherein rayon gabardine was treated in the same manner as described in Example I. 1.5% oxalic acid was used as catalyst.

Example IV Grease Recovery, Warp and Fill Degrees Percent Glyoxal Penteerythritol Ether Hand 1 Wash Wash 2.0 Dipentaerythritol 3.0.... 238 203 2.5 Tripentaerythritol 2.5. 221 18'. E10 Treated Piece 198 186 The utility of esters of pentaerythritol is shown in the following example. All were catalyzed with a zinc chloride diglycolic acid composition (1:4 by weight) and treated as in Example I.

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In order to be useful in commercial application, it is desirable to stabilize the compositions described above so that they do not prematurely condense to form resin, either in the padding bath or to coat the fiber, thus lessen.- ing crease recovery. As an example, the following experiment is illustrative of the stabilization requirements.

Example VI Equal weights of glutaraldehyde and pentaerythritol (commercial) were dissolved in water so that a 30% concentration of solids were present. To 50 ml. of this solution various modifiers were added. Adjustments in acid-. ity were made with aqueous sodium acetate solution.

Results Modifier Precipitates-5-l0 minutes. Precipitates-4 hours. Preeipitates-2 hours. Clear solution-312 hours.

It is understood that mixtures of dialdehydes (and/or derivatives) and pentaerythritol, pentaerythritol-ethers and derivatives may be used in the processing described herein. It is also possible to use hemiacetals of either type of component and hemiacetals of both reactants. Hemiacetals are formed to some extent merely upon mixing the components in solution. Although there are no theoretical limits to application, practical aspects indicate the importance of setting these limits. A composition which is too low in the component parts will not increase crease recovery. Conversely, too high a composition percentage in a treatment bath will be uneconomical or else-cause such alarge crease recovery as to make ordinary sewing and manufacturing operations on such treated fabric diflicult. 1

As an example of quantities useful in this application, the following experiments were carried out.

Example VII Thus, lower concentrations yield little effect and the law of diminishing returns applies at the higher concentration. Effective limits of the treating bath may thus be chosen between 0.5 and 30% of solids. The preferred limits are 31-20% of solids. If desired, 1 may prepare the treating compositions in concentrated form containing for example as much as 50% solids which can be suitably diluted priorto application. v

, As an additional desirable property, fabrics treated as described above show dimensional control when tested according to the A. A. T. C. C. wash test at 212 F. as shown in the following example:

Example VIII Rayon gabardine was treated as in Examples I and III.

Warp Shrinkage,

percent Treatment 1 Wash 5 Washes Pentaerythritol-Hydroxyadipaldehyde 2. 5 2. 2 Sueeinsldehyde-Pentaerythritol 0. 7 2. 2 None.... 9. 0 11.0

Cotton sheeting, treated as described above, showed the following:

It is understood that mixtures of dialdehydes (and/or pentaerythritol derivatives) and pentaerythritol, pentaerythritol ethers and derivatives may be used in the processing described herein. It is also possible to use hemiacetals of both types of components and hemiacetals of both reactants. It is highly probable that these are formed to some extent merely upon mixing in solution.

The products herein described are also useful in the treatment of paper, regenerated cellulose films, leather, zein, and other proteins.

Because of the high melting point of the polymers formed by the reaction, and the possibility of a crystalline structure, it is possible that these polymers may find use as synthetic fibers. In addition, their use either alone or with other components in molding compositions, socalled hot melts, potting compounds, and casting resins, is indicated. In suitable solvent these products may form useful protective coatings in electrical insulation, alkaliresistant coatings, and in solvent resistant coatings. Needless to say these coatings may be of value for decorative purposes and in printing compositions.

The compositions may be used in textile application along with starches, dextrines, vinyl resins, urea and melamine formaldehyde resins, phenolic resins, and alkyd resins, and the like for imparting hand in textiles and in other modifications such as water repellency, fire retardancy and similar treatments. The composition may be used advantageously along with dimensional control agents. Such use may be advantageous in that improvement in tensile strength is observed along with the crease resistance. The compositions described above may also be used in treatment of so-called non-woven fabrics.

By textile application is meant application to textile materials. These may be described as filaments and fibers, staple or yarns, whether in finished stages or at some intermediate stage in the production thereof, of the group consisting of natural cellulose, regenerated cellulose and mixtures thereof with other natural and syn thetic fibers such as cellulose acetate, nylon, wool, etc. The term also includes fabrics, whether knitted, woven or felted, as well as garments or other articles made from such fabrics.

Iclaim:

1. The process of modifying a textile material which comprises treating said textile material with an aqueous medium containing a dialdehyde possessing from 2 to 4 methylene groups and a pentaerythritol, and heating the treated material under acidic conditions.

assist; a

2. The process of modifying a textile material which comprises treating said textile material with aniaqueous medium containing a compound capable of generating a dialdehyde possessing from 2 to 4 methylene groups and a pentaerythritol, and heating the treated material under acidic conditions. V

3. The process of modifying a textile material which comprises treating said textile material with an aqueous medium containing a dialdehyde possessing from 2 to 4 methylene. groups and a hydrolyzable compound yielding a pentaerythritol, and heating the treated material under acidic conditions.

4. The process of modifying a textile material which comprises treating said textile material with an aqueous medium containing a compound capable of generating a dialdehyde possessing from 2 to 4 methylene groups and a hydrolyzable compound yielding a penta'erythritol, and heating the treated material under acidic conditions.

5. The process of imparting durable crease-recovery to a textile material which comprises treating said material with an aqueous medium containing, a dialdehyde-generating compound possessing from 2 to 4 methylene groups and a pentaerythritol polyformal under acidic conditions.

6. The process of imparting durable crease-recovery to a textile material which comprises treating said textile material with an aqueous medium containing a dialdehyde possessing from 2 to 4 methylene groups and a pentaerythritol formate, and heating the treated material under acidic conditions.

7. The process of imparting durable. crease-recovery to a textile material which comprises treating said material with an aqueous medium containing a dialdehyde possessing from 2 to 4 methylene groups and a. pentaerythritol polyformal' under acidic conditions. v

8. The process of imparting durable crease-recovery to a textile material which comprises treating said textile material with an aqueous medium containing a dialdehyde-generating compound possessing from 2 to 4 methylene groups and pentaerythritol formate, and heating the treated material underacidic conditions.

9. The process of imparting crease-recovery to a textile material which comprises treating said textile material with an aqueous bath containing glutaraldehyde and a compound selected from the group consisting of pentaerythritol, dipentaerythritol and tripentaerythritol, and heata ing the treated material under acidic conditions.

10. The process of imparting crease-recovery to a textile material which comprises treating said textile material with an aqueous bath containing glutaraldehyde and a pentaerythritol diformal and heating the treatedmat'erial under acidic conditions.

11. The process of imparting crease recovery to a textile material which comprises treating said textile material with an aqueous bath containing a hydroxyadipaldehyde and a compound selected from the group consisting of pentaerythritol, dipentaerythritol and tripentaerythritol, and heating the treated material under acidic conditions.

12. The process of imparting durable crease-recovery to a textile material which comprises treating said textile material with an aqueous medium containing a compound selected from the group consisting of succinaldehyde, glutaraldehyde, hydroxyadipaldehyde, and methyl glutaraldehyde and a hydrolyzable compound yielding a pentaerythritol, and heating the treated material under acidic conditions.

13. The process of imparting durable crease-recovery to a textile material which comprises treating said textile material with an aqueous medium containing a compound selected from the group consisting of succinaldehyde, glutaraldehyde, hydroxyadipaldehyde, and methyl glutaraldehyde and a pentaeryt'hritol, and heating the. treated material under acidic conditions. i

14. 'The process of imparting durablecrease-recovery to a textile material which comprises treating-said material; f 75 with an aqueous medium containing a dialdehyde possess- 8 ing from 2 to 4 methylene groups wherein at least one hydrog'en is replaced by a radical selected from the group consisting of where R is an alkyl'group containing not more than 7 carbon atoms, and a pentaerythritol, and heating the treated material under acidic conditions.

15. The process of imparting durable crease-recovery to a textile material which comprises treating said material with an aqueous medium containing a dialdehyde possessing from 2 to 4 methylencigroups wherein at least one hydrogen is replaced by a radical selected from the group consisting of 2 to 4 methylene groups anda pentaerythritol.

18. An aqueous textile treating bath containing a dialdehyde possessing from 2 to 4methylene groups and a hydrolyzable compound yielding a pentaerythritol.

19. An aqueous textile treating bat-h containing a com pound generating a dialdehyde possessing from 2 to 4 methylene groups and a hydrolyzable compound yielding a pentaerythritol.

20. An aqueous textile treating bath containing a dialdehyde generating compound possessing from 2 to 4 methylene groups and a pentaerythritol polyformal.

21. An aqueous textile treating. bath containing a dialdehyde possessing from 2 to 4 methylene groups and a pentaerythritol formate.

22. An aqueous textile treating bath containing a dialdehyde possessing from 2 to 4 methylene groups and a pentaerythritol polyformal.

23. An aqueous textile treating bath containing a dialdehyde generating compound possessing from 2 to 4 methylene groups and a pentaerythritol formate.

24. An aqueous textile treating bath containing glutaraldehyde and a compound selected from the group consisting of pentaerythritel, dipentaerythritol and tripentaerythritol.

25. An aqueous textile treating bath containing glutaraldehyde and a pentaerythritol diformal.

26. An aqueous textile treating bath containing a hydroxyadipaldehyde and a compound selected from the group consisting of pentaerythritol, dipentaerythritol and tripentaerythritol.

27. An aqueous textile treating bath containing a compound selected from the group consisting of succinaldehyde, glutaraldehyde, hydroxyadipaldehyde, and methyl glutaraldehydeand a hydrolyzable compound yielding a I pcn'taerythritol.

28. An aqueous textile treating bath containing a compound selected fr'om the group consisting of succinaldehyde, glutaraldehyde, hydroxyadipaldehyde, and methyl glutaraldehyde, and a pentaerythritol. a

29. An aqueous textile treating bath containing'a ,di

aldehyde possessing from 2 to 4 methylene groups where- M fat in at least one hydrogen is replaced by a radical selected from the group consisting of OH, OR, --CN, 0 -OC OR R where R is an alkyl group containing not more than 7 carbon atoms and a hydrolyzable compound yielding a pentaerythritol.

31. The process of modifying a textile material which -SO H, -SOaR comprises treating said textile material with an aqueous medium containing a condensation product of a dialdehyde containing from 4 to 6 carbon atoms in a straight chain and a pentaerythritol.

32. A textile material impregnated with a condensation product of a dialdehyde containing 4 to 6 carbon atoms in a straight chain and a pentaerythritol.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,389,662 Fisher Nov. 27, 1945 2,436,076 Pfetfer Feb. 17, 1948 2,643,236 Kropa June 23, 1953 2,739,972 Abbott Mar. 27, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 317,085 Great Britain Dec. 8, 1930 842,075 Germany June 23, 1952 838,827 Germany Aug. 12, 1952 522,578 Canada Mar. 3, 1956 

1. THE PROCESS OF MODIFYING A TEXTILE MATERIAL WHICH COMPRISES TREATING SAID TEXTILE MATERIAL WITH AN AQUEOUS MEDIUM CONTAINING A DIALDEHYDE POSSESSING FROM 2 TO 4 METHYLENE GROUPS AND A PENTAERYTHRITOL, AND HEATING THE TREATED MATERIAL UNDER ACIDIC CONDITIONS. 